Affluent Architect (2026)

03/09/2024

What business are Architects really in?
..how to get paid what you are worth...

Hey, belated Happy Labor Day.

I just got back from sunny Spain, a slightly darker shade of pink with 7 pounds of mass that wasn’t there before.

So, to get myself back into the swing of things I did my first morning run so I can fit back into my clothes again…

…and this thought popped into my mind.

I want to discuss how to get paid more for your projects.

It all comes down to perception of value and who is doing the perceiving.

Architects value the expertise they bring to the table.

Clients who want functional projects done as cheaply as possible place value on the price.

That’s why they fee shop architects…

…haggle fees down as much as possible…

…cut corners…

…and try to minimize their architects’ role as much as possible.

Clients who want to build something special, unique and for reasons beyond dollars and cents…

…value what happens AFTER an architects’ expertise has worked its magic.

In other words, they are buying a ‘Future Life’.

It’s a bit like going to a fancy restaurant with great reviews.

You already know you’re in capable hands.

So, do you want to know how the food is prepared and cooked or do you just want to enjoy a fine meal?

With all that said, the questions you need to answer are:

✅ Who do you want to cater to?

That answer is obvious.

✅ What business are you REALLY in?

Are you in the Architectural Services Business…

…or are you in the Future Life Business?

When I look at most architects’ websites, they are very firmly in the former.

But the ones who charge much higher fees and get paid what they are worth are definitely in the latter.

Let’s look at an example.

Let’s use our restaurateur from the fancy restaurant we spoke of earlier.

Say, he wants to turn an existing space into an amazing high-end restaurant.

Which of these does he value:

✅ Architectural Services...

OR

✅ Recognition of Expertise & Reputation of High-End Cuisine...

If you wanted these types of projects which would outcome do you think this client would pay more for?

Obviously, it’s the latter, that’s the ‘Future Life’ he wants.

And if you look at the high-end restaurant market the numbers are eye watering.

High-end restaurant fit outs can run well in excess of £10mil.

For example, there is a restaurant here in London called Sexy Fish which reportedly cost £15mil to fit out.

Not too shabby.

The average fit out cost for high-end restaurants is between £500 to £800k.

And factor in the fact that the restaurant buildings market as a whole is expected to reach $300.55 billion by 2027 at a compound annual growth rate of 5.7%...
.You can see that this is a very lucrative market for architects who are also interested in interiors.

So with all that said, if you would like to get into the ‘Future Life’ business as an architect and want to know how to actually do this…

…then check out my new book: The Architect Branding Blueprint.

It shows you how to do this step-by-step.

Press here to check it out if you haven't already:

https://architectbrandingblueprint.com

Hope you have a great week!

Cheers,

Declan

P.S.: If you have any questions or comments then post them below...

19/08/2024

How To Get More Booked Calls From Your Website

Am having my last cup of coffee for the day otherwise I won't be able to sleep tonight and thought I'd share something you can use to make your website far more persuasive when potential clients visit it.

And that’s based on static vs motion.

Committed and ambitious clients are in motion.

They have their vision for their project and are actively moving towards it.

They are feeling it, which for course is emotion, or e-motion.

For us to feel an emotion there needs to be movement in our minds.

And we do that with our imagination which of course is a mental movie we play in our heads.

For example, do you run the same type of movie in your mind every day that makes you feel some emotion either good or bad?

We all do some version of this.

Well, this is the same thing.

Static images do not create motion.

And as a result they do not create emotion.

When I appraise architects websites, this is one of the things I look out for.

So it follows that the way to getting clients to book calls on your calendar is simple.

You need to create motion on your website so when they visit it, they feel e-motion when looking at it.

Y’see, the most successful architects all have one thing in common:

They all have the ability to effortlessly verbally articulate their client’s vision for their project.

And it’s a skill they developed from years of client conversations and as a result only the top 2% have mastered it and the success of their practices reflect that.

However, what if I told you that this skill can be learned without spending years doing it?

Plus, we can replicate this art of visionary communication on your website…

…using nothing more than your portfolio and compelling words.

This is the secret sauce that lets you communicate a client’s vision with precision and impact, not through endless meetings and conversations, but through the power of images and words.

It brings your concepts to life.

Your designs don’t just sit there—they speak.

They have motion.

They tell a story that clients instantly connect with, turning their vision into a tangible reality.

If you would like to know how to do this step-by-step for any type of project or market sector then check out my new book the Architect Branding Blueprint book which makes this simple & easy to do.

https://architectbrandingblueprint.com/op/architect-branding-blueprint/

Cheers,
Declan

09/08/2024

How To Use Models & Images To Attract Far Better Project

Am having a late morning coffee and thought I'd share something you can use immediately to start getting bigger & better projects.

Let’s say an architect wants to upgrade the standard of their projects but they don’t have a fancy real-world project portfolio...
..or have worked on the type of jobs they want to generate for their practice.

Well, that’s no problem.

We can use a virtual portfolio whether that’s models, rendered images, hand sketches or even AI images.

The secret sauce to having this work is a concept called Show AND Tell.

Top-tier clients want to build something that transforms their lives.

They have a ‘vision’ for what that life will be like and this drives their passion and interest in building something that's unique, special and stands out.

So, it follows that once you can describe this ‘vision’ with 100% clarity, then you are positioning yourself as the perfect architect for their project.

Let’s say it’s a restaurateur who wants a bespoke restaurant as a status symbol for their high-end cuisine.

The starting point is of course the images of the new restaurant which showcase your design style & capabilities.

This is the ‘Show’ part.

The ‘Tell’ part is where we describe the ‘vision’ that goes with the images.

And in our example the client wants 'status'.

But what is status?

Well, it’s how we are viewed by other people.

What are the parts of a restaurant that other people see and experience?

✅ Entrance/Lobby: The initial space where customers enter, often including a reception or hostess station.

✅ Waiting Area: A designated space where customers can wait for their table, which may include seating, decor, and sometimes a bar area.

✅ Dining Area: The main seating area where customers enjoy their meals, often subdivided into sections with different ambiance or seating arrangements.

✅ Bar Area: A space where customers can order drinks and sometimes food, often featuring bar seating and a display of beverages.

✅ Restrooms: Public bathrooms that customers use during their visit, which are often designed to match the overall theme or aesthetic of the restaurant.

✅ Open Kitchen (if applicable): A kitchen area visible to customers, allowing them to watch the food preparation process, adding to the dining experience.

✅ Outdoor Seating (if applicable): An exterior space where customers can dine, which may include a patio, deck, or garden area.

✅ Hallways/Corridors: The passageways that connect various areas within the restaurant, often featuring decor or design elements that contribute to the ambiance.

✅ Private Dining Rooms (if applicable): Separate rooms for private parties or events, offering a more intimate dining experience.

✅ Decor Elements: While not a "space" per se, the art, lighting, plants, and other decor elements that contribute to the overall atmosphere are key parts of the customer experience throughout the restaurant.

✅ Wine Cellar (if visible): A display area for wines, sometimes part of the dining room or bar area, adding to the visual experience.

So it follows that these are the images you use in your portfolio.

And with these images, we spin a narrative which is a description of how customers of the restaurant positively view these spaces thus giving the client the status and recognition he craves.

This is how you communicate with 100% clarity, the transformational power of your services in a way that aligns with your clients 'vision'.

And they’ll come to you pre-sold on working with you, give you creative freedom to design their project and pay what you ask without haggling.

Our clients have used this to great effect and seriously upgraded their projects by deploying virtual portfolios in this way.

Hope this helps and you have a great weekend!

Cheers,
Declan

05/08/2024

How To Be A ‘Premium’ Architecture Practice That Generates ‘Premium’ Fees

Ever wonder how to catapult your architectural practice into the premium stratosphere?

Today, I’m going to spill the beans on everything you need to know about positioning, pricing, and promoting premium services.

Trust me, this is going to transform your practice.

We hear a lot about “premium fees”, but what does that really mean?

The secret sauce is in the perception of the practice itself.

A premium practice demands premium fees because it genuinely offers more.

Without that, you’re just spinning your wheels.

Having worked on both low-budget to super high-end jobs in my career, I can tell you there’s a world of difference in how people perceive value.

Let’s break it down with an example, cars.

BMW isn’t just a car.

They have branded themselves as being much more than that.

Owning a BMW is a statement of performance, luxury, exclusivity & status.

This is a multi-dimensional focus of value.

Contrast that with most American cars, for example a Mustang.

They are branded on just one thing:

Raw horsepower, no frills.

This is singular focus of value.

This is the difference between generic products versus premium products.

One has mass appeal, the other has narrow but high-end market appeal.

Now, think about your architecture practice.

Generic services offer one thing, but premium services?

They’re multi-dimensional.

Think of BMW — performance, luxury, prestige, comfort.

Each adds a layer to the depth of the service, a reason to justify the higher fees.

So, how do you apply this to your practice?

If you’re targeting the mass market, keep it simple.

One-dimensional.

Focus on a single, compelling aspect of your service.

For example, “Get Your Dream Home Designed in 30 Days.”

That’s your raw horsepower.

But for a premium service, go multi-dimensional.

You layer in things like status, exclusivity, customization, innovative design, etc

Each of these layers justifies the price, and transforms your service from generic to premium.

People need compelling reasons to pay a premium, and it has to be their reasons.

Make it easy for them to justify those reasons.

Next time you’re thinking about pricing, positioning, and communicating the value of your architectural services, use these concepts.

They’ve helped generate millions in fees, and now they can help you.

To your success,

Declan

01/08/2024

Clients Will Only Pay You For Things They Can’t Do Themselves

Let’s cut to the chase.

In today’s architectural world, there's a cold hard truth:

Clients will only pay you for things they can’t do themselves.

This reality shapes everything we do, from how we promote our services to how we engage with our clients.

Many clients, especially those with residential or small commercial projects, think they can handle parts of the design process on their own.

We’ve all had clients who take bits out of the scope thinking they can do those bits themselves and save money.

Including reducing your fees.

And it usually comes back to bite them in the butt.

They believe a bit of research, HGTV and a few YouTube tutorials can turn them into architects overnight.

We both know this is insane, but this is their perception of the profession and expertise involved.

However, perception is a game played in the mind.

And that is something we have TOTAL CONTROL over.

All we need to do is directly connect our services to the outcome, the underlying emotional motivation why our clients are undertaking these projects in the first place.

Here’s an example.

Say you have a Boomer couple who want to build a new home.

What’s the outcome they want from the project?

Well, it’s to stay out of the old folks home and live the rest of their lives in security & comfort whilst spending quality time with their grandkids.

This is where all the emotion is in the project for them.

It’s also what they find most valuable about the job too.

Let me ask you, how many architects talk about this kind of stuff when promoting their services?

More often than not, it’s about permits, project process, etc…

There’s a massive disconnect between what clients find valuable about their project and what architects think is valuable about their services.

It’s all about the outcomes our clients want.

And the better the client, the better the outcome.

If you want better clients, you talk about how you can deliver better outcomes.

And that’s all there is to it.

As a note aside, Boomers are the biggest residential market of all, and is only getting bigger as we have an aging population.

They also have the most money of any client group.

So, if you were to target this market this is how you would do it.

Declan

13/11/2023

How To Remove Limiting Beliefs

Hey there, it's Declan here, grab a seat, and let's chat about something over our Monday morning coffee – Limiting Beliefs.

So, what are 'Limiting Beliefs', you ask?

Well, they're the sneaky thoughts we hold onto, thinking they're true, but they're actually holding us back from reaching our full potential.

If you haven't quite achieved what you want in your career or life, chances are there's a Limiting Belief lurking in the shadows.

Now, before we dive into Limiting Beliefs, let's talk about 'Beliefs' in general.

They're like our brain's safety systems.

We form beliefs to keep us safe in this wild world we live in.

Take Amazon reviews or money-back guarantees, for instance.

They exist because they make us feel secure about our decisions.

They create the belief that it's safe to buy something.

But, here's the kicker – Limiting Beliefs are safety systems gone a little haywire.

While they're trying to protect us, they also keep us from chasing our dreams and desires.

They make our subconscious believe that we'll be in trouble if we get what we want.

Pretty messed up, right?

Let me give you an example.

It took me ages to muster the courage to brand my practice actively, even though I knew it was necessary for success.

My Limiting Belief was that I'd be laughed at if I did it, which would mean losing social status.

And that's what a Limiting Belief is, in a nutshell:

It's your subconscious thinking you'll LOSE something when you achieve your goals.

I've got a friend who smokes like a chimney – 20 ci******es a day!

And it's not the ni****ne that's got him hooked.

It's the social aspect around smoking.

If he quits, he loses that social interaction.

Now, here's a trick for you.

Find out what your subconscious thinks it will lose, and you're on your way to tackling those Limiting Beliefs.

Here's a quick guide:

First, list the things you want to achieve but haven't yet.

Next, ask yourself, "Who am I when I achieve [your goal]?"

This one's good, but the next question is even more potent.

Finally, ask, "Who am I NOT when I achieve [your goal]?"

Your brain will get to work answering that question.

Give it some time, let those questions simmer, and your subconscious will spill the beans.

Once you've identified your Limiting Belief, it's a straightforward task to appraise it and bring awareness to it.

And just like that, it starts to fade away.

Anyway, that's all I have for today.

Enjoy your Monday, and that coffee!

Cheers,

Declan

31/10/2023

Why To Never Use The Words ‘Dream Home’ In Your Branding

Hey Declan here, having my first coffee of the day and I thought I’d share my thoughts on a mistake I see Architects make a lot.

And to be honest it’s a mistake I used to make too.

And it wasn’t till I stopped making it that I started to get far bigger projects with clients who loved, appreciated and praised my work.

The internet has made our clients a lot savvier than at any time in history.

It has also given them a lot more choice.

So if we are to stand out from the crowd, we need to tailor our branding & communication closer to what they actually want.

And the big culprit against doing this, is relying on the terms ‘Dream Home’.

‘We will help you realise your Dream Home.’

Every Architect & their dog or cat has some variation of this on their website and it’s a pointless term.

Y’see, humans can’t value things unless they have sensory experience or explanation of it.

What do they see, hear, touch, feel, taste, smell, etc.

So if we want to communicate that we can deliver a potential client’s project, we need to describe it in sensory terms.

‘Dream home’ is an abstraction.

It is an idea and lacks any sensory specificity.

If you asked 100 people what ‘Dream Home’ means, you’d get back 100 different answers.

However, once we get specific on the type of project, it’s aesthetics, the lifestyle it will provide…

…then this allows us to describe ‘Dream Home’ in sensory terms.

And you simply use this description instead.

This also has another major benefit.

It helps you get clear on what projects you want and whom clients you want to work with.

Trying to be everything to everyone, will just mean you are nothing to no one.

Here’s an example of what I mean.

Say you have a Boomer couple wanting to downsize and build a custom home to see them through their twilight years.

What would be a ‘Dream Home’ for them?

Well, mobility would be huge.

They wouldn’t want their now grown-up children seeing them addled and struggling to take care of themselves in their home, now would they?

Their children might start thinking about retiring them to an old folks home.

Plus, far less inclined to let the grand-kids stay with them.

So, spaces for the grand-kids would also be a priority.

How would you describe this in sensory terms for these clients?

Well, you simply describe what their lives will be like AFTER the house has been built and they are enjoying living there.

This is how you turn your branding into something so much more powerful and have it resonate with potential clients.

Remember, potential clients have more choice than ever before.

If a Boomer couple are looking for an architect, are they going to be attracted to the ‘Dream Home’ crowd, or to an Architect who describes the above?!

This is also where fee size elasticity comes into play.

Which of these do you think they’ll pay more for?

Anyway, that’s all I have for today.

Cheers,

Declan

P.S.: If you have any questions or need help with anything just leave a comment below.

19/10/2023

The Architect Branding Blueprint

Hey Declan here and I want to share something that is really the bedrock of any architecture practice.

And it doesn’t matter if you’re new to the game or a seasoned veteran.

I struggled to get any decent jobs at all when I first started my practice…

…and this is the one thing that allowed me to get bigger & better projects with clients who appreciated the work I was doing for them.

And it all comes down to how people perceive you. How they see you and what they think about you.

That’s why it doesn’t matter how good you are…

…how hard working you are…

…because WHO you are and HOW they see you determines everything about you.

It especially determines the fees you can charge, the quantity & quality of your projects & clients and how you get treated by those clients.

And that’s why I didn’t make a leap of growth until I started focusing on turning my practice into a brand.

After all, in my area, there were 17 other practices, but only one other one was focused on branding.

And the one that was focused on branding was able to charge much higher fees, gobble up any decent project and have a backlog of clients wanting to work with them.

Plus, when I looked into how they were doing it, I had the realisation that my website/social media presence, was already branding me.

It became clear that the reason I was stuck getting low budget jobs with clients that resented having to hire me in the first place…

…was that my branding was attracting these people.

It was a bitter pill to swallow…

…but knowing that allowed me to take control of this and brand my practice with positive intent.

With that said, branding is a topic that has a lot of confusion around it.

So I’m going to break it down in this email so you can go ahead…

…and start branding your practice in a way that allows you to get far better clients & bigger projects too.

And to best explain what branding is, let’s look at a classic example.

Rolex.

What instantly comes to your mind when you think of a Rolex watch?

For me, it’s Status.

So how does Rolex communicate that having one of their watches means you are of high status?

Well, if you look at any Rolex advertisement…

…you’ll see that every ad has an image of someone of high status wearing a Rolex watch like Roger Federer or Davd Beckham.

Or someone in a high status situation wearing a Rolex watch, like a man wearing a fancy James Bond-esque suit.

And here’s what all these have in common and are the very essence of branding.

All the Rolex ads imagery are about the consumption of the product.

In other words, it conveys the use of the watch and the kind of person who wears one.

So, branding is about selling people on the idea of what it means to wear a Rolex Watch…

…rather than the watch itself, make sense?

Now obviously architecture isn’t a product as such but the idea of branding is the same.

So instead of having imagery that conveys the consumption of the project…

…we have imagery that conveys the end use of the project.

And by imagery of course I mean your portfolio.

In other words, we sell the idea of what it means to live in a custom home.

Or have a new restaurant.

Or an apartment block.

Or whatever type of project it is you want to get for your practice.

My area of expertise is custom residential, so let’s look at an example there.

Say you have a stressed out highly paid professional who wants a weekend retreat home away from their pressure cooker job in the city.

What are they looking for in a weekend home?

Well, peace & tranquillity, relaxation and all that kind of stuff.

So if you wanted to brand your practice as being one that does these types of projects…

…you would then deploy your portfolio with a narrative around the owner enjoying a relaxing weekend there.

And it doesn’t matter if it’s a real or virtual portfolio.

You’re not selling the new home.

You’re not even trying to sell your services.

You’re selling the idea of living in that weekend home…

…and the type of person who lives there.

That’s why this approach works so well especially if you don’t have the fanciest of portfolios to begin with.

You can use rendered models/images/sketches/etc because the underlying message is the important part.

You then communicate this message on your website, social media channels and anywhere you promote yourself.

And this is how you brand your practice.

If you have any questions or need help with anything just hit ‘reply’ to this email and let me know!

Anyway, that’s all I have for today.

Cheers,

Declan

16/10/2023

Creating Trust & Rapport With Potential Clients

Hey Declan here, and on this rather cold morning here in London, I had a thought I wanted to share with you…

…and it’s a question I get a lot from Architects wanting better clients.

And that question is:

How do I garner trust & rapport with potential clients?

Luckily this is quite easy and is something you can do the very first time they come across your website.

Most Architect websites are wholly about the Architect themselves.

This breaks trust & rapport.

And to give you an example of how to garner trust from the get-go, let’s look at Tony Robbins.

Tony Robbins is by far the biggest life coach guru who has ever lived.

I mean the guy is world famous and worth hundreds of millions.

You may or may not have listened to some of his programs.

On his website, he doesn’t talk at all about himself, his business, his services, or any of that stuff.

His home page is 100% focussed on the person reading it.

And if you want to garner instant trust & rapport with potential clients then you have to do the same.

At worst, failing to address this fundamental issue...
..means you will lose out on the client altogether.

And at very best if they do hire you, they won’t trust your expertise.

Then it’s a case of being seen as the ‘permit-getter’...
..and other mundane project administrative tasks that they think they need you for.

Yet, if it was that simple, everyone would be doing it.

The #1 thing that garners trust & rapport are:

Communicating Shared Values with the person who visits your website.

Tony Robbins's Shared Value is personal growth.

So all his communication is about how the person can achieve that.

When someone is going to spend a lot of money on having a custom home designed and built for them…

…they have a set of Values...
..that steer their decision-making throughout the entire process.

They need to see these same Values in the Architect they hire…

…because this allows you to show that you understand what it is they want to achieve with their project.

So by communicating their Shared Values back to them…

…you communicate that you understand them...
..which garners rapport and trust before you ever talk to them.

And to give you an example of how powerful this is...
..one of my clients Sloan Springer is taking over the Traditional Home refurb market in New Jersey.

His clients buy one of these dated properties…

…and he helps them completely transform them into a modern family home...
..whilst retaining the character of the building.

And he has gone from quite small projects to these $400k+ jobs...
..because we helped him communicate that he shares his client's values.

Which in this case are Family Values.

We introduced and shared photos of Sloan with his family.

And we talked about various activities Sloan enjoys with his family.

It’s this that garners trust & rapport with his potential clients before they even talk to him, make sense?

So, what Values do you want your clients to have…

…or what Values do you want to share with them?

Anyway, that’s all I have for today.

Cheers,

Declan

09/10/2023

Hey Declan here and in today's Mindset Monday we are going a bit ‘meta’ and examining our client's minds…

…specifically how we can directly influence how they make the biggest decision of all: hiring you.

Once you understand this process it’ll completely change how you view your marketing.

Plus, you can use this technique on your website, social media, pretty much everywhere you have some kind of promotional presence.

And the best place to deploy this technique is in the very first time a client comes across you.

This is your first impression.

And I call this technique the Inception Process.

And yes, it’s named after the famous movie Inception starring Leonardo DiCaprio.

And if you haven’t seen that movie, the basic premise is this:

Leonardo plays a thief who is hired by a shadowy figure to infiltrate the subconscious of his target...
..implants ideas in there which then influence the target to make the decision that this shadowy figure wants him to make.

And that’s exactly what we’re going to do here.

Here is the process by which people make a decision:

Words => Images => Imagination => Emotion => Decision

It goes like this:

✅ They read some words which paint a picture in their mind...

✅ The picture then draws upon other pictures they have stored in their memory which creates a mental movie using their imagination...

✅ This then generates an emotion, which is e-motion or energy in motion...

✅ They take action and make a decision based on that emotion.

Having a custom home designed & built for them for example, is an extremely emotional decision…

…so it follows that once we know what emotion they want fulfilled by that home, we know the context of that decision.

This allows us to reverse engineer the process and use words (your marketing) & images (your portfolio) in this context.

This then influences their imagination to generate the same emotion they want fulfilled by the custom home and the action of which is hiring you, understand me so far?

Architecture has a big advantage that other industries don’t have in that most of them only have the words to influence their potential clients.

We can use the image part too with your portfolio which basically puts your marketing on steroids.

And of course this can be a real world portfolio, or a virtual one consisting of models and rendered images.

They can even be sketches.

The important part is how it is deployed in the context of the emotion they want fulfilled by the new home.

Say for example they want a Family home.

Then your marketing & portfolio should be deployed in this context.

Say they want Status, we deploy the same in this context.

You get the idea.

This is what separates architects who are stuck with boring projects with cheap clients…

…and architects who get amazing jobs with clients who value their expertise.

Anyway thats all I have for today.

Cheers,

Declan

Affluent Architect

03/09/2024

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